BELFAST, Maine — Police have arrested a man who they believe broke into a Belfast garage last week and stole a 2001 Jaguar worth at least $10,000.
Victor J. Pendleton, 21, of Belfast has been charged with burglary and unauthorized use of property, according to Detective Sgt. Bryan Cunningham of the Belfast Police Department.
Pendleton allegedly removed a window from the East Side Garage, off U.S. Route 1, and stole the vehicle, which has been recovered.
Belfast police put a “be on the lookout” alert on the Jaguar’s license plate around the state, and the car was recovered in Lewiston by the Maine State Police.
Pendleton evidently had an outstanding warrant from Augusta for unpaid fines for burglary of a motor vehicle, Cunningham said. His license also was suspended.
“He shouldn’t have stolen it, and shouldn’t have been driving it,” Cunningham said.
Belfast Mayor Walter Ash, who owns the East Side Garage, said Monday it was the second time in a month that he has been burglarized.
“I’ve been here 43 years and we’ve never had problems before,” Ash said. “I don’t know if all this stuff is drug-related, or just plain laziness — they don’t want to get a job.”
He said the Jaguar thief took a window out of the frame, stole the vehicle and closed the door afterward. The owner of the classic car has it back now, and Ash said he hadn’t charged the owner for repairs done before the theft.
During the first garage burglary, which is still under investigation, a person or persons pushed a window in and stole Ash’s cash register with money inside and quite a few tools, he said.
Ash said the burglars were not too bright, because it would have been easy enough to remove the money from the cash register without cutting the electric cord and taking the whole thing out of the garage.
“Now they’ve got a box with no power to it,” he said.
In addition to replacing the windows, Ash has now put in an alarm system.
“I hate to do it, but I’m doing it,” he said of the security upgrade. “They will be caught, and they will be prosecuted.”
Ash said, “I don’t know if all this stuff is drug-related, or just plain laziness — they don’t want to get a job.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.AMEN, AMEN, AMEN, AMEN, AMEN!
“The owner of the classic car has it back now..” 2001 Jaguar…
WOw, there seems to be an awful lot of crap going on in the Belfast area lately…….
It’s going on in Everywhere USA, not just Belfast Maine……. Sad ……..
“I don’t know if all this stuff is drug-related, or just plain laziness-they don’t want to get a job.” It’s both Mr. Mayor, they go hand in hand…it really is so sad what our society is coming to, especially such an awseome town like Belfast. Good job BPD !!!!!!
Nothing against Belfast PD, they do a fine job! Just notice:
“…the car was recovered in Lewiston by the Maine State Police…”
Would have been kind of hard for BPD to recover a car in Lewiston, dontcha think??? MSP, lowest Crime Indexing Clearance rate in the state..Hmmm……LUCK !!!!
Maybe if they spent less time hanging around the station at night and more time patroling the streets they would have found it themselves.
Maybe it is a little of both for some thieves. All I know is, everything I have, limited though it may be, is earned through my own efforts. I have wanted a Mustang all my life, but I am not about to take someone else’s car to have it.
“He shouldn’t have stolen it, and shouldn’t have been driving it,” Cunningham said.
Sounds like a real deep thinker.
A 2001 Jaguar is just an 11 year old used car and certainly no classic!
Wow who would be dumb enough to steal a jaguar? Those things can tear your head off.
Also who keeps a dangerous animal in the garage? Wild animals aren’t pets people!